Richard Hogan is the founder and chairperson of EMBRACE Badjao. He has worked closely with the Badjao tribe for over 10 years. He has seen, first-hand, the issues facing the Badjao people, and has worked to elevate many of the hardships they face. Richard has supported many Badjao children to achieve their educational aspirations while also supporting the wider community with a medical & food mission. Richard’s aim is to empower the Badjao so that they have the opportunity to receive the education they deserve while also working with the older community so that they become self-sufficient and avoid begging as an income.
Richard is a systemic trained family psychotherapist. He writes every Thursday for the Irish examiner, where he explores many of the challenges facing families & teenagers. He lectures with DCU and is a regular contributor on Radio & TV. He was recently awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for his work on how to better promote inclusivity in the Irish and American classroom.
"The Badjao are the most beautiful, warm and friendly people you can meet. I feel incredibly privileged to have been welcomed into their community like a family member. The Badjao have so much to teach us, here in the West. I always feel slightly guilty leaving their company because I know they have taught me far more than I could have ever dreamed of teaching them." Richard Hogan.
Mark Congdon is CEO and co-founder of Noyeks Newmans Ireland, CEO and co-founder of Ebonyandco international, and CEO and Founder of Innovation Technology International. He served as the Honorary Consul of the Philippines in a voluntary role from 2012 to 2018.
During this time Mark honourably served both the Philippine community and the Irish community in all aspects of consular duties to include ensuring a seamless link between the Irish Government, the London Philippine Embassy and the Philippine Government - attending Irish Government Departmental meetings to enhanced co-operation and development of foreign affairs, agriculture, trade and tourism. Other services provided included full oversight with regard to the legalisation of documents, facilitating travel visas, providing repatriation services, providing emergency services both nationally and internationally, attending and supporting nationwide events and finally promoting the excellent professional services provided by the Philippine community affecting many aspects of Irish life particularly endorsing their significant contribution to the Irish health service over many decades as kindly acknowledged by past and indeed our current Irish President Michael D Higgins.
Elaine is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner who has specialized in Children’s Emergency Critical Care and works in Ireland’s busiest Children’s Emergency Department. She is a mum of two beautiful children and is also a certified ACLS and AHA instructor who provides Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) training internationally to healthcare professionals involved in the provision of care to acutely ill infants and children.
Elaine has a huge passion in the area of Global Health. She has had the privilege of traveling to Uganda on many occasions over the past 15 years as a volunteer for NGO-Nurture Africa, with the targeted focus upon providing access to healthcare, education and economic empowerment through business training and micro-finance projects while promoting child rights and gender equality throughout all projects. Elaine was the founder of the NGO’s HIV community based program in 2006, which now sees hundreds of children and their families receive necessary treatment to allow them lead positive, healthy and productive lives within their communities.
Elaine is extremely excited to be embarking on a new a journey with EMBRACE Badjao and hopes that her experience, drive and integrity will contribute to the success of this wonderful new intitative.
Michael is Professor in Inclusive Education and Director of the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities in Trinity College Dublin. His teaching and research has focused on facilitating the inclusion of children and young people with special educational needs within mainstream schools, promoting the voice of marginalised people within decision making processes that affect their lives, and addressing access issues for young people with disabilities within compulsory and higher education. He has completed longitudinal national studies investigating the provision of inclusive education in the Republic of Ireland. Michael is involved in policy making initiatives within Irish education in relation to the development of inclusive learning environments in schools and higher education. As Director of the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities he manages the delivery of an accredited education into employment transition programme for young people with intellectual disabilities.
Dan McLoughlin is the secretary of EMBRACE Badjao. He has a ME in Civil and Structural Engineering from UCD where he was awarded the EGA Gold Medal for Civil Engineering. He currently works as a Structural Engineer in Dublin.
He has travelled to the Philippines on three occasions in 2012, 2013 and 2019 where he has worked within the Badjao community each time.
He can not wait to work with EMBRACE to create long lasting and life changing support to the Badjao Community.
Conor Dempsey works as a Senior Materials Engineer for Johnson and Johnson. He has been working and fundraising for Volunteer programs in the Philippines since leaving secondary school. He has travelled multiple times in the past 10 years to work directly in Davao.
During these trips, Conor had the privilege of working closely in the Badjao community in their temporary schools. They are an amazing people and their attitude to life is nothing short of inspiring. While he worked on different projects throughout Davao during these trips, the highlight by far were the weeks working in the Badjao community. Spending time with their wonderful community only made him more eager to return back to Davao each time.
Conor is excited to be working with the EMBRACE Badjao team to help deliver hugely beneficial projects which will contribute to long-term improvements of the Badjao community in Davao and beyond.
Oliver is a freelance TV and film editor based in Dublin. He visited the Philippines as a student in 2012 and has returned twice since then. While he worked across a number of projects during those three trips to Davao, it was always the Badjao people he connected with most. He has kept regular contact with a number of members of the Badjao community over the years and when the opportunity to get involved with EMBRACE arose, he jumped at it. He is looking forward to collaborating with people on the ground and seeing the direct impact the EMBRACE project has.
